The half-life of Radon-222 is 3.8 days. A 46-gram sample of Radon-222 is monitored for one day. How many grams of Radon-222 are left after 16 hours (rounded to the nearest hundredths)?
A) 46.00
B) 2.48
C) 45.65
D) 40.73
E) 28.98

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The half-life formula is used to calculate the remaining amount of a substance after a certain time. The formula is $A = P(1/2)^{t/T}$, where $A$ is the amount remaining, $P$ is the initial amount, $t$ is the elapsed time, and $T$ is the half-life period. For Radon-222 with a half-life of 3.8 days and an initial amount of 46 grams, after 16 hours (or $16/24$ days), the calculation is $46(1/2)^{(16/24)/3.8}$, which rounds to approximately 40.73 grams.

The Half-Life of Radon-222 Is 3